Electric switch.



PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903 C. C. BADEAU.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12,1903.

N0 MODEL.

FIGS- WITNESSES:

MQA

UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRHG SWlTCl-i.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,67 3, dat d D b 22, 1903.

Application filed August 12, 1903. Serial No. 169,273. (No model.)

T 01/ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. BADEAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at S wissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful 1m provements in Electric Switches, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in safety or overload switches for electric circuits, and has for its object a construction automatically operative on a change of current from a predetermined or normal condition to break the circuit.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved switch, a portion of the base being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation; and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on a plane indicated by the line IV 1V, Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention two side plates or standards 1 are suitably secured to a base 2, formed of porcelain or other suitable insulating material. The upper ends of these standards are suitably spaced by the tubular portion 3, which is preferably formed integral with one or both of the standards. The standards are provided at or near their upper ends with projections or cheek-pieces 4,which form the poles of an electromagnet, which has its coil formed by a conducting-ribbon or a strip 5, wound around the tubular portion or core 3. This strip or ribbon 5 is preferably formed of longitudinal laminations, as shown. The ribbon or strip at the inner or pivot end of the coil is divided and the two portions bent outwardly and down on opposite sides of the coil, the ends being passed through openings in the base 2 and secured to one terminal 6 of the circuit in which the switch is to be placed. The outer end a of the coil is secured to the movable member of the switch in such manner that when the movable member is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, such end a of the coil will bear firmly and have a good electrical contact with the plate 7. This plate is preferably formed on a bolt 8, passing through the base and adapted to be connected to the other terminal of the circuit.

The movable member is preferably made in the form of a bent lever having operatingarms 9 integrally connected and provided with a knob of insulating material and arms 10, connected by the bridge-piece 11, to which the outer portion of the coil is attached. This leveris pivotally mounted on the pin 12, passing through the tubular portion of core 3, and is provided with retaining-arms 13, connected by a rod 14:.

The strip or ribbon 5 is formed so as to have a considerable resilience, so that its inner or pivotal end being secured to the base and its outer or-brush end secured to the lever said spring will serve to shift or raise the lever, when the latter is free to move.

As above stated, the brush end a of the coil contacts with the block 7, connected to one terminal of the switch, and an additional contact is provided in the spring 25, attached to the bridge 11 in such manner that it will remain in contact with the plate 7 after the brush has moved therefrom, and further contact is provided which will prevent a rupture of the circuit after the spring 25 has left the plate 7 and consists of blocks 15, of carbon, one secured to the arm of the lever, while the other is secured within the head 16 on the stem 16, which passes down through an opening in the base of the switch. A spring is arranged beneath the head 16, so as to cause the head to follow up the block on the arm 10 for a short distance, so that the carbon blocks will remain in contact for a short time after the brush a and the spring have been separated from the plate 7. Stem 16 is connected, as shown, to the terminal 8. The lever is locked in such position that the brush end a of the coil is in contact with plate 7 by a pivoted latch 17, having a hook portion 18, engaging the rod 14 of the retaining-arms. The free end of this latch is normally held in position to engage the retaining-arms by a weighted lever 19, having a loose connection with the latch. This loose connection consists of a pin 20, pivotally connected to the latch and extendiug through an opening in the lever and provided at its end with a head 21, against which the lever will strike when it drops back, as hereinafter stated, thereby lifting the free end of the latch to position where it will engage and hold the retaining-arms. An armature 22 for the magnet consisting of the coil and the pole-pieces 4: is secured to the upper end of the lever 19, which when shifted by the magnet will strike against a projection 23 on the latch, and thereby force the latch down out of engagement with the retaining-arms.

The coil, which as described is included in the circuit to be protected, is so constructed in accordance with rules known in the art that when the current is at or below normal the armature 22 will not be aifected. As soon, however, as the current increases beyond normal or a predetermined safety-point the armature will be drawn to the pole-pieces, causing the lever 19 to strike the projection 23 and shift the latch from engagement with the retaining-arms. When thus free, the lever will be shifted by the spring 25 and coil 5, so as to move the end a of the coil from the contact-plate 7, thereby breaking the circuit. As soon as the circuit is broken the magnet becomes denergized and the lever 19 will drop back, thereby so shifting the latch through the medium of the pin 20 as to be in position to engage the retainingarms of the switch-lever when it is restored to normal or operative position.

.It is characteristic of my improvement that the coil serves not only as a portion of the electromagnet, but also as a means to shift the movable member of the switch; and, further, it is characteristic of my improvement that the inner end of the coil forms what is known as the pivotal contact, while the outer end of the coil forms the brush-contact. It is also characteristic of my improvement that the poles or cores of the electromagnet are formed on the posts or standards which support the movable memher.

I claim hereinas my invention 1. A switch having in combination a stationary contact, a movable member carrying a second contact, a lock for the movable member and an electromagnet controlling said lock, the coil of the electromagnet actuating the movable member, substantially as set forth.

2. A switch having in combination two contacts, a movable member carrying one of said contacts and an electromagnet having a resilient coil connected to the movable member, substantially as set forth.

8. A switch having in combination a contact, a movable member, an electromagnet having a resilient coil, one end of said coil forming the pivotal terminal of the switch and the outer end forming the other contact and connected to the movable member, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES C. BADEAU.

Witnesses:

F. E. GAITHER, FRED KIRCHNER. 

